95 vista express-so near yet so far

It’s a new experience riding the bus and it’s the only exciting routine that I look forward to everyday.

6.45 am
I am practicing for my upcoming marathon on April 30th, right now my timer is set to 4:30:15 to get to my bus stop and I am aiming for 1:45:30 in India since it will not be cold. I think I should be ready at this pace.

6.50 am:
It is our family heritage to make up for the sleep that we loose in the morning else we don’t function effectively during the day. I think there is nothing close to the feeling of catching a small nap without having to worry about getting caught by your next cube office neighbor. So I settle myself in a nice cozy rear corner of the bus and get ready for my happy quarter hour.

7.05 am
I pat myself for being able to doze off with less effort and also being able to reunite with my 6 ft tall, masculine American dream boy with a big grin and saying all things that I like to hear. I usually don’t have any songs or dances 'coz I like to save time and energy.

7.07 am:
Give my attendance via phone to someone and remind "the someone" of the tragic virtual death (murder) of the Udupi owner's daughter after their duet in Ooty golf links.

7.08.45 am:
I eavesdrop the Asian guy's conversations with the rest of the group, he is a funny guy, some times he even teases me and I don’t usually get their jokes, then I gape at the " laugher's" hair style, who is very pretty for her age but laughs like a stuck engine trying to crank up, then I scan through all the usual riders, the lady who never dries her wet hair, the old lady has too much mascara, another oldie from my bus stop who smokes like a chimney and I try to register the good dress styles of the other ladies, most of the old ladies tend to read books, I tried reading but I couldn’t pretend any longer, so I gave up. A small chat with my other Indian female colleagues about sleeping late and having no comments to offer, I end up staring at them with a fake smile.

7.10 am
Get down at my stop

4:10 pm
The funny driver greets us with some remarks about how I stagger to get my bus pass out, as usual I pretend that I understand and I laugh and move inside.

4.12 pm

HE gets on the bus with his colleague, the first time I saw him he was reading " fast food Nation" and was talking about the book, I was eavesdropping again... he always talks the entire time to his colleague and it seems like a monologue, then a cheap thought comes to my mind if I should use the old Tamil movie trick of dropping something and asking him it belonged to him and then say hi.. Now I know why people watch Tamil movies, aahhh our wasted lives... then I put that idea aside and reiterate in my mind like everyday ......
Good looking - check
Well dressed- check
Not too tall - check
American - check
Smart - check
Has a job - check
Not too old - check

4:35 pm
the last 20 mins goes by talking to my roommate and other Indian girls, some boring jokes but all my conversation is just to cover up my "sight" process, I smartly orient my seating arrangement diagonally across him so that it is not too obvious, I know its an age old trick but it works.

4.40 pm
All of us (including him) get off outside my apartment complex and I sigh to myself for not having met him before 4 weeks!!!!!!

I thank the Lord Almighty for giving me yet another fruitful day!!!!